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Another possible COVID-19 case at gold mine in Nunavut

Another possible COVID-19 case at gold mine in Nunavut | iNFOnews.ca
In this May 7, 2020, photo provided by Aaron Watson, the sun sets over Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut territory in the far north of Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP Photo via Aaron Watson

Nunavut’s chief public health officer says there is another presumptive case of COVID-19 at a gold mine in western Nunavut, bringing the total to eight possible cases.

On Monday, Dr. Michael Patterson announced seven presumptive positive cases at the Hope Bay mine, about 125 kilometers southwest of Cambridge Bay.

Those tests were flown to a southern lab for confirmation, but they have not come back yet.

Patterson says five more swabs were flown from the mine to Rankin Inlet for testing last night, and one appears to be positive.

Another eight swabs from the mine are to be sent out on Saturday.

No Nunavut residents work at the mine.

Patterson says it appears the cases originated in the territory, but he is still deciding if they will count as Nunavut’s first cases.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 2, 2020.

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